Jack MacGowran

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John Joseph "Jack" MacGowran (October 13 1918, Dublin, Ireland – January 31 1973, New York City) was an Irish-born character actor.

He achieved some measure of fame as a leading member of the Abbey Players, he achieved stage renown for his knowing interpretations of the works of Samuel Beckett. MacGowran's film career started in Ireland with the film No Resting Place.

By 1954 he had moved to London, and was actually in The Royal Shakespeare Company. There he struck up a lasting friendship with Peter O'Toole. Many of MacGowran's earlier films were set in Ireland. Notably The Quiet Man (1952), The Gentle Gunman (1952), Rooney (1958) and Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959).

The first London production of Beckett's Endgame brought him acclaim early in the 60's, then Roman Polanski cast him as a gangster in Cul-de-Sac, before creating Professor Abronsius in The Fearless Vampire Killers especially for him. In 1963 he married Aileen Gloria Nugent, daughter of the Irish MP and Senator of the Free State Sir Walter Nugent.

In 1959 he created the role of Joxer in the Broadway musical Juno, based on Irish playwright Sean O'Casey's 1924 play about The Troubles, Juno and the Paycock.

While in New York City filming his scenes for The Exorcist (1973), MacGowran died of complications resulting from the recent London flu epidemic. He was 54 years old. His daughter is actress Tara MacGowran.

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Last updated on Thursday December 27, 2007 at 17:54:17 PST (GMT -0800)
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